Bundoran Bluffs
Bundoran: Population: 600,000 with a transient population of around 200,000 (The bluffs are inhabited with about 15% of the total population) Real Earth Model: Victorian London (with a humid tropical climate) Bundoran is a major city state that is considered a part of the “Core lands” which hold the central power infrastructure of the Confederacy. It is located at the mouth of the Nantahala River on the southern bluffs of the western continent. It is surrounded by fertile lands which are fed by many minor tributaries that fed into the area. It is an bustling hub of trade, spurred by goods that are fed down the rivers (including valuable mining ores transported from the central eastern continent mountain range) which are then distributed by an extensive network of steam-powered ocean vessels and airships. Bundoran is noted for being a city with great potential for profits and enterprising opportunities if one can manage to avoid having one's back stabbed or throat slit by competitors and rivals. Government: Bundoran is run by a council of 9 representatives selected by the federal government with an extensive committee of bureaucrats and advisors that hold sessions within the Bluffs City Hall to enact legislation and delegate executive actions to help keep the city safe, maintain infrastructure, and maintain a strong economy for taxation. At least, in theory that’s how it’s supposed to work. The reality of the situation is that the Confederacy and Khandor Corporation politically battle one another to wrest control of the council from the other, while many independent parties take advantage of the situation and play both sides against one another for personal gain. In the decades following the Mining Moon revolt, the Corporation has slowly been edging in on the federal government’s political power in many areas, including Bundoran. Corruption in the city has grown rampant in the last several years, which is made widely apparent by the lopsided distribution of wealth and power. While the vast majorities of Bundoran citizens live on the western and northern mainland of the bluffs in agrarian farming and working tradesmen communities and eke out a modest living, the majority of wealth is concentrated on the top ends of the towering bluffs at the mouth of the river. At any given time, the balance of power is evenly split between the government and the corporation. The amount of money flowing through the region has made it difficult for the government to wrest control of the city-state from the corporation. Throughout the year, the scales of power slightly tip one way or the other as council members are bribed, coerced, blackmailed, or just flat out assassinated and replaced. The city uses its own police force called the River Wardens, to enforce laws and keep order throughout the city blocks. Unfortunately, an honest warden is a rare find within the city as many of the wardens are on the corporation or gang payroll to look the other way when smuggled goods are being transported. Nonetheless, they are not to be trifled with as justice tends to come at the swift end of a baton for minor offenses and being forced to “take a bluff shortcut” (slang for being tossed off the side of the bluff) for more heinous crimes. The upper levels of the bluffs tend to be more decadent and orderly, with each descending level becoming more lawless and poor. Infrastructure: The city of Bundoran is built around the mouth of the mighty Nantahala River which flows south into Dunigan Bay. The western and northern lands are fertile farmlands that contain the majority of the city-state’s poor to middle-class population which serve as an economical base that supports the trading hub at the mouth of the river. The city heart is built around an interesting geological feature called the Bundoran Bluffs. This feature is formed of isolated bluffs of hard granite deposits that have naturally been carved out as the softer sediments have been washed away by the swift waters of the river and its many tributaries feeding into the mouth. It is within these bluffs that the seat of power in the city is housed, along with the massive wealth and trading community. The bluffs comprise 21 different isolated natural forming rocky outcroppings that tower about 7-8 stories high above the river water line. These bluffs are interconnected by a series of extensive bridges that range from impressive stone hewn feats of engineering reinforced with technomancy to hand-made rickety wooden rope bridges that seem like they could collapse any moment. The bottoms of the bluffs comprise natural sea cave formations which have been hollowed out and reinforced over the years to serve as the river dock areas of the city, with goods and wealth flowing up to the tops of the bluffs from river barges and steamboats as well as being transported out by ocean faring vessels to the far corners of the world. Almost every bluff has an air dock built into the side where goods and travelers can be offloaded or loaded up as trade ebbs and flows throughout the city. The city is fed water through an underground filtration system, similar to Gigopolis and other city-state’s water systems. Brackish waters from the bay and river are drawn in by steam powered pumps from the lower levels and then treated for drinking and human usage. The filtration system is not maintained to the best standards on all levels since the local government is too embroiled in political intrigue to focus its efforts on infrastructure maintenance so the lower levels tend to have bad public water quality. Many resort to accessing the river water directly, although the river tends to be badly polluted by sewage and industrial run off. The city is divided into roughly 6 main districts, Market, Warehouse, Government, Business, Residential, and River. Each district is named for its primary activities for that region of the city. The hub of the River Wardens is located on the southern end of the Government district, with the Federal Science Academy being situated on a lone bluff in between the Government and Business district. 'Industries: ' The city, on paper, is a federally controlled city. This control, however, is highly contested by corporate interests and other independent groups (including gangs and criminal networks). The city does not contain much industry of its own, but is by far the largest trading hub of the eastern continent with many goods fed south from central regions down the Nantahala River. Taxation and trading fees tend to be ridiculously high because of the government corruption and sheer amount of trade goods moving through the area. As one of the only main rivers allowing transport of mining ores from the central continent, businesses have no choice but to tolerate the taxes and fees required to oil the wheels of the trading underbelly of the bluffs. A large portion of the population is agrarian and hard-working tradespeople whom serve as the working class backbone that supports the central hub of the bluffs. Many of these hard-working and honest folk are lured to the bluffs with promises of high end earning potential on the docks and warehouses only to end up used and destitute years later. The National Federal Science Academy is headquartered on a small bluff inbetween the Government and Corporation districts. The academy produces some of the finest academic minds of the known lands. They are known to host an annual award ceremony honoring candidates who have made outstanding progress in academic pursuits and increasing quality of life for the average person. Transportation and smuggling is also a highly lucrative enterprise in the region for obvious reasons. Culture: Bundoran culture is a mish mash of many different cultures due to the large transient population and melting pot atmosphere created by the massive trading hub. It is molded on Victorian era London and as such, you can expect a certain kind of attitude that tends to get generated in a crowded overpopulated urban center with bustling sea ports and air docks. The general outlook one gets from the local populace is open mindedness and acceptance towards all sorts of cultures and life styles. However, everyone also tends to be out for themselves. The city tends to be highly competitive and willing to cut corners or take advantage of others to get ahead in life. The locals don’t view themselves as being immoral, they just take advantage of opportunities as they see fit and have been conditioned for years to think that way. The naïve and gullible are taken advantage of until they get wise or are ruined. The bridges are considered public land and a distinct culture has developed among those who make their lives and livelihood on them. Bridge culture is a unique experience to visitors, and one may spend a lazy afternoon just sipping tea or ale at one of the many vendors on the side of a bridge. Pickpockets tend to be particular rampant on the bridges, so one has to watch their coin purse and personal valuables carefully while crossing over to different bluffs. One also has to constantly watch their back while in the city. Visitors and newcomers are often targeted for scams or to further the political ends of the inner workings of the city. There are many different groups of power working against one another, with the two main factions vying for control being the federal government and the corporation. The city, in proper federal fashion, treats technomancers like second-class citizens which are heavily controlled by the council’s dictations. The majority of the technomancy population is oppressed and controlled by the various power groups within the city. Technomancers have strict curfew hours and some are treated little better than slaves. River Wardens have strict orders to check on registered technomancer’s papers daily and to enforce their operating guidelines and visa working permits within the city confines. The city military is primarily controlled by the River Wardens who serve as the en facto law of the city and the strong arm of the council. They have a small fleet of airships at their disposal housed in the river district, as well as a few iron clad river cruisers used to deter river bandits and outlaws from harassing the city proper. Most of the warden’s forces are comprised of extensive ground forces which were formed by necessity because of manpower required to police the interweaving bridges and tunnels throughout the bluffs which are inaccessible to most typical military vehicles. The Wardens also have access to many two-man crafts (small speedy steam-powered river boats, small steam-powered motorcycles with side cars, and small gyro craft) which they use to run patrols throughout the city. If a two-man patrol runs into a problem they cannot handle, they can call for a larger transport to bring more backup. The River Wardens are well financed and supplied, albeit largely corrupt and controlled by the various power factions within the city. The city is also defended by numerous emplaced coastal cannons and anti-aircraft batteries although these pieces tend to be outdated and haven’t been used for decades. For the most part, the political struggle within the city tends to put focus on inner city problems than worry about external threats.